Dreaming, how about our RV industry would focus on energy source versus energy storage. Energy storage such as state of the art Li battery is still finicky for even large company like Roadtrek, and it is expensive. Energy sources are either limited to obnoxiously loud generators, vehicle engine powered generators, shore power, or limited solar.
I wish someone would make an LPG/Gasoline/Diesel internal combustion engine, 3kW, 100-150cc, perhaps more than one cylinder, water cooled, well balanced, almost as quiet as Danfoss pump. The established and certainly not state of the art venerable, small Onan generators are ancient, gladly they don’t have flat heads . If I recall correctly, crankshaft lubrication is by scooping oil from the oil pan with nineteen Century technology of the connecting rod scoop. It is difficult to make an air-cooled engine quiet and with current Al casting technology water cooled engine could be made small.
Or, using a crankshaft free, free piston engine with linear electric generator could make a package quieter and smaller. So, just perhaps, some good news could be coming from a recent development of free piston technology, no crankshaft, practically old technology but tuned for an electric energy generation instead of a direct propulsion. Having no side loads on the piston, due to lack of the crankshaft, could make this engine long lasting with limited need for lubrication.
I also dream of similar items, except that I see smaller output from the generator, and just enough battery capacity to smooth out the usage over a day of use. For instance 20 amps, 240 watts for 24 hours a day so 480ah per day available all the time rain or shine, driving or not. Silent and running in the background.
Currently, I think it could be done with a heat driven engine like a Sterling, but in the future may be a fuel cell or ?
IMO, it is much more likely that a lower output, continuous output, generator would be able to meet the high efficiency and quietness levels we all desire, when compared to to " burst" generators of higher output and shorter run times.
Of course, we could all be wrong when the latest flux capacitor hits the market
I was recently looking at manuals for my 2.5kW Onan LP generator. I was surprised to learn the engine is a fairly modern over head cam design by Robin Subaru.
I was recently looking at manuals for my 2.5kW Onan LP generator. I was surprised to learn the engine is a fairly modern over head cam design by Robin Subaru.
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I didn’t know that, my old Onan - 2008 had overhead valve design not overhead cam. Great to see some progress.
I also dream of similar items, except that I see smaller output from the generator, and just enough battery capacity to smooth out the usage over a day of use. For instance 20 amps, 240 watts for 24 hours a day so 480ah per day available all the time rain or shine, driving or not. Silent and running in the background.
Currently, I think it could be done with a heat driven engine like a Sterling, but in the future may be a fuel cell or ?
IMO, it is much more likely that a lower output, continuous output, generator would be able to meet the high efficiency and quietness levels we all desire, when compared to to " burst" generators of higher output and shorter run times.
Of course, we could all be wrong when the latest flux capacitor hits the market
There could be 2 interest groups, a 250W ( I am with you on this one) and AC driven watts perhaps with synched inverter for starts so let’s say 1250W.
A Flux Capacitor could be very useful, pick a few future PowerBall number sets and start the 21st Century RV/Marine generator business. I am still voting for the free piston technology.
The following video best represents my view of fuel cells
New generator dreaming
. If I recall correctly, crankshaft lubrication is by scooping oil from the oil pan with nineteen Century technology of the connecting rod scoop. It is difficult to make an air-cooled engine quiet and with current Al casting technology water cooled engine could be made small.
Linear Mode
